Method of surfacing pelt hats



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALVIN HURD, OF DANBURY, CONNEGTIOUT.

METI-OD OF SURFACING FELT HATS.

Specfication of Letters Patent No. 16,588, dated February 10, 1857.

To all whom it may con/cam:

' Be it known that I, ALVIN HURD, of Danbury, Fairfield county, and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and Improved Method of Surfacing Felt Hats, of which the following is a clear and eXact description, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making part of this specification.

Figure l is a perspective view of Fig. 2, a section of the bench and crown block. Fig. 3, a sect-ion of the top block. Fig. 4, a view of the stone; details of which will be referred to hereafter.

In manufacturing the hat, the effort of the trade has been to produce a fine, even,

and velvet-like surface upon the hat, and by some easy and sure process. The importance of such a result has brought out several plans, and elicited much effort of the trade. But no one has arrived at a satisfactory result until my discovery.

The process usually adopted is to rub the hat wet or dry with a pumice or fine grit stone until the coarse service is removed, but the result has ever been to produce a spotted surface, in consequence of the unevenness of the felt, and the want of something to regulats and assist the action of the stone. My plan has reduced the process to a sure and satisfactory result, producing uniform work.

The explanations of the drawings are, Figure l, a, bench; b, elastic cover; c, block to surface the side crown upon; (Z, block to surface the tip upon; F, the hat placed upon the elastic cover showing the application of the stone E; the box that contains the pulverized pumice is shown at j.

Fig. 2, is a vertical section of the bench a and crown block 0,' the elastic cover h, and hat F, is shown with the position of the stone E, while surfacing the side crown. The elastic cover b upon the bench a, is shown, and the pin G upon which the black revolves.

Fig. 3, is a wertical section of the tip block D, showing the elastic cover Fig. 4, a view of the stone E.

It is well known to the trade that felt hats are not of uniform thickness, consequently when pounced soine parts will be affected more than others, producing a motley surface, which destroys the beauty of the hat. To overcome the above difliculty we place the hat (after it is ready to finish) upon the block c, to surface the side crown. Ve then sprinkle upon the hat pulverized punice, then rub up and down the crown with the stone E, reaching from a little above the square to below the band. From this block we remove the hat to the tip block ffl, where the tip is surfaced in like manner as the side crown. The brini is surfaced. upon the bench a, as shown in Fig. l. The thicker parts settle into the elastic cover, presenting thereby an even surface to the action of the stone. The powdered punice serves to prevent the stone from cutting too deep, also in connection with the stone to cut off1 the fur evenly. Sometimes we double the hat, the under half acting as the elastic cover.

`fhat I claim as new and my invention in the above described process, is-

Surfacing the hat upon the elastic cover or bed for the purpose and in the manner` substantially as herein described.

I ALVIN HURD.

Witnesses:

RUssEL WILDMAN, EZRAL P. BENNETT. 

